The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-10

hors.. ~ the colonsts were built as to def.
a sudden attack of the Indians. and hold out IN.
iii tha arrival of battalions OF volunteers An.
ro,led in the towns neigh boring Villages
Ana On this plan Castle House had been IA.
signed.
II stood on slight rise of the ground, in tbs
center of q small park of about three acres Sit
mated few hundred yards from the st. johns
rather deep watercourse ran round the park
aud the palsading on its inner bank completed
the defense. The only entrance was by little
bridge thrown across the circular moat Behind
the rise a mass of beautiful trees covered tbs
.lones of the park. An avenue OF young BAN.
boos. with stems crossing in pointed arches
formed long nave. leading from the lawn to
the landing place. Beyond, among the trees,
uara green lawns and wide paths with whits
borders. ending in a sandy terrace along tho
principal front of Castle House
The castle was irregularly built and offered
much of the unexpected in its grouping and Of
the capricious in it's details. But should its as.
salant ever break through the park palisades
it would remain defensible. and could maintain !.
a siege of some hours. Its windows on the
eround floor were protected by iron bars. Ths
main door in the front face was as strong ask
nortcnllis. At certain points along the walls.
u
few turrets. which rendered the defense easier,
as they allowed of the aggrassors being taken in
flank. In short with its openings reduced to
sucb only as were strictly necessary. the central
tower, on which flew the standard of the United
States its lines of battlements along some of ths
RIDGES the.slope of it's wall at the foot, its high
roof many pinnacies the thickness of its inner
walls. which here and there were loopholed, the
Mace resembled a fortress much more than
dwelling house
And we have said it had been necessary TO
build it so for the security of its inhabitants at
the time of the Indian troubles IN Florida. There
was even in existence sort OF subeerrananean
tunnel which. after passing urder the palisade
and circular moat put Castle House in eommu-
nication with little creek OF the St Johns
called Marine creek. This tunnel could serve
as a means of secret escape in case of aextreme
danger
At the time in question. the Seminoles. having
been driven out of the peninsula twenty years
before, were no longer to be feared. But who
could say what was reserved for the futures and
might not the danger James Burbank had no
reason to fear from the Indians come from his
compatriots? Was he not an isolated Northerner
at the end of the Southern States, exposed to
all the changes of civil war, which had been
hitherto most sanguinary and fertile in re-
prisalsl
But the necessity of providing for the safety
of Castle House had in way interfered with iu
interior comfort. The rooms were large and
superbly furnished. The Burbank family were
blessed with every comfort, every satisfaction
fortune give when it is united to artistic feel.
ing on the part of its possessor.
Behind the house, in the private park,
70 In mali
The stakes were hidden beneath climbing shrubs
and passion flowers, among which hummins
birds hoped in myriads. Orange trees. olvI
trees, fig trees, pomegranate trees. and ponte-
derias with blue bouquets, and magnolias with
chaces of old ivory pertaining the air, palm trees
waving their fans in the breeze, garlands Of
violet-shaded coboeas, clumps of green rosetted
tupeas yuccas with their sharp clicking sabres,
rosy rhododendrons, clumps of myrtle and shad-
docks-in fact everything produced by the fora
of zone which touches the tropics and could be-
gathered in its parterres to perfume the air OF
please the eye.
At the extremity of the palsading, under the
expresses and baobabs, were the stables, coach
houses kennels, dairy and poultry-yard. Under
the thick foliage of these fine trees. lmpenetra-
BILE by the sun. the domestic animals had moth
ing to fear from the heat Of summer, and the
running water brought in from the streams
close by gave agreeable and healthy freshness
to all
This private domain was, it will be seen,
marvelously we'll arranged nook in the center
of James Burbank's establishment No rattle
from the cotton mills, roar from the saw-mills,
ring OF axes rhe tree trunks. nor any of the
sounds which inseparable from such inn
portant concern could be heard beyond the pal
isades.
The thousands Of birds of the Floridan fauna
would pass and futter from tree to tree. But
these winged songsters. whose plumage rivaled
the brilliancy of the flowers. were welcome
the perfumes which the breeze bore with it as it
swept over the neighboring woods and prairies.
Such was Candles Bay, the plantation Of
James Burbank ono of the richest in eastern
Florida.
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